How to recover deleted data from excel？

Excel files often contain critical information, and losing that data can have severe consequences for individuals or businesses. Fortunately, there are numerous methods and tools available for recovering deleted data from Excel files, ranging from built-in recovery options within the software to specialized third party tools.

Part 1: Understanding How Data Is Deleted in Excel

Before diving into recovery techniques, it’s essential to understand how data deletion works in Excel. Data can be lost due to various factors:

Accidental Deletion: Sometimes, users may inadvertently delete entire cells, rows, or worksheets.

Unsaved Changes: Closing a file without saving or encountering a sudden crash may result in unsaved modifications.

File Corruption: Issues with the file itself, such as corruption, can lead to data loss.

Overwriting Files: Opening and saving a file with the same name but different data can result in overwriting the original content.

Part 2: Built-in Recovery Features in Excel

Microsoft Excel includes several built-in features designed to help recover lost or deleted data. These features are particularly useful in situations where data is lost due to accidental deletion or unexpected shutdowns.

1. Undo Feature

The easiest way to recover recently deleted data is by using the Undo feature. By pressing Ctrl + Z, Excel will reverse the last action, which may restore any accidentally deleted data. This feature is only effective before the file is saved and closed.

2. AutoRecover

AutoRecover is a built-in feature in Excel that automatically saves a copy of your file at regular intervals. If you experience an unexpected shutdown, crash, or other interruptions, AutoRecover allows you to restore the last auto-saved version of your Excel file.

How to Use AutoRecover:

Open Excel, and go to File > Info.

Under Manage Workbook, look for Recover Unsaved Workbooks.

Choose the appropriate file to recover your lost data.

It is essential to ensure that AutoRecover is enabled by default. You can adjust the AutoRecover settings by navigating to File > Options > Save and verifying that AutoRecover is turned on.

3. Recover Previous Versions

Another method is using the Recover Previous Versions feature. Windows has a built-in version history system that saves different versions of your file over time.

How to Recover Previous Versions:

Right-click on the Excel file in File Explorer.

Choose Properties.

Navigate to the Previous Versions tab and select a previous version of the file to restore.

Part 3: Manual Data Recovery Techniques

If the built-in options do not work or the data loss is more complex, there are manual techniques that can help recover deleted data from Excel.

1. Using Excel Backup Files

Many users create backup files to safeguard against accidental data loss. If you have created a backup of your Excel file, you can simply restore the backup version of your file.

Restoring from Backup:

Locate the backup file, typically saved with the file extension .xlk.

Open the backup file in Excel and recover the deleted data.

2. Recovering from Temporary Files

Excel often creates temporary files while you’re working on your spreadsheet. These files are saved with a temporary file extension, such as .tmp. In case of a crash or sudden closure, these files may contain the latest version of your Excel sheet.

How to Locate Temporary Files:

Search for files with the .tmp extension in the directory where your Excel file is stored.

Rename the temporary file with the .xlsx extension and open it in Excel.

3. Recovering Overwritten Files

In the case of overwritten files, restoring a previous version using Windows File History is the best approach. If file versioning is enabled, you can recover an earlier version of the Excel file before it was overwritten.

How to Use File History:

Right-click the overwritten Excel file in File Explorer.

Choose Restore Previous Versions.

Select an older version to retrieve your lost data.

Part 4: Advanced Tools and Techniques for Data Recovery

When built-in and manual techniques fail to recover deleted data from Excel, advanced tools and third-party software may provide a solution. There are several professional data recovery software programs designed to recover lost Excel files, even in complex situations such as file corruption or permanent deletion.

1. Using Data Recovery Software

Many professional data recovery tools specialize in recovering deleted or corrupted Excel files. These tools work by scanning your hard drive for traces of the lost data and rebuilding the file for you.

Popular Data Recovery Software:

Panda Data Recovery Software: Known for its ease of use and powerful scanning capabilities, Panda Data Recovery software can recover deleted Excel files from various storage devices, including hard drives, external drives, and USB drives.

Recuva: A popular and free recovery tool, Recuva can restore deleted files from your hard drive and works well with Excel files.

EaseUS Data Recovery: This tool is another widely used option for recovering Excel files, especially in more complicated cases such as partition loss or disk formatting.

Disk Drill: With a user-friendly interface, Disk Drill is designed to recover all file types, including Excel spreadsheets, and offers both free and premium versions.

To use these software tools, you generally follow these steps:

Download and install the recovery software.

Run a scan on the drive where your Excel file was stored.

Select the file(s) you wish to recover and save them to a different location.

2. Excel Repair Tools

If your Excel file is corrupted, specialized file repair tools can be used to repair the file and recover its contents. Corrupted Excel files often become unreadable, but tools like Stellar Repair for Excel or Kernel for Excel Repair can help.

How to Repair Corrupted Excel Files:

Download a file repair tool.

Run the tool and select the corrupted Excel file.

Follow the steps to repair and restore the file.

Part 5: Preventive Measures for Future Data Loss

Recovering deleted data can be stressful, so implementing preventive measures is essential to avoid future data loss in Excel. Here are some best practices to minimize the risk of losing valuable Excel data:

Enable AutoSave: AutoSave automatically saves your file in real-time, ensuring that you don’t lose unsaved changes.

Create Regular Backups: Regularly backup your important Excel files to external drives, cloud storage, or other safe locations.

Enable File History: Use File History on Windows to track previous versions of files, so you can easily recover earlier versions if needed.

Use Data Recovery Tools: Keep data recovery software installed on your system as a safeguard against unexpected data loss.

By understanding the different types of data loss and employing the appropriate recovery techniques, you can retrieve lost Excel data effectively. Additionally, implementing preventive measures, such as enabling AutoSave, creating backups, and using file versioning, will help protect your important files from future loss.